Death By Knitting (and Other Various Crafts)

Good Bye

2011-04-17T16:42:00.001-05:00

Dear blog and readers,
I think it's come time for me to shut down this blog. I won't delete it, but I need to concentrate on school and other things, and I just don't have time to effectively write or blog anymore. Also, since coming back from Chile and not having a computer or regular internet access there, I found out what being "in it" was like, all the time, not just the times that I wasn't online. Yes, I found a lot of awesome people through my blog and ravelry, people I still want to keep up with, but right now, I feel it's an extra pressure I can't deal with right now.

I shut down my etsy shop, and I've been cutting down my time on the computer in general. Upcoming in this semester I need to write about 20-30 pages to finish up the next four weeks. This summer, my plans include working about full time and going to the beach all the time.

I'll still be active on Ravelry. I might post occasionally on my Tumblr. It's just hard keeping up with a full on blog as a student with a social life, trying to get a 3.6 GPA and work. Please if anyone has any questions about patterns or anything email me at SamDOTedgeATsbcgobalDOTnet (replace every word with symbols!).

3/5 Billion Pictures of Chile

2011-04-01T17:18:00.004-05:00

Leaving On a Jet Plane Pt 2, with FOs

2011-03-17T08:41:00.004-05:00

Today I'm leaving for Chile. I'll be back the 29th of March. I'm so excited. We're meeting at the school in a couple hours and then driving to the airport - a flight to Alanta then to Santiago! I think we will have wifi, but I don't know if I'll blog. I might blog a bit here, because there's an ipod touch app for tumblr!

But quickly, I have two FOs to post!

Pattern: BFF Socks from Cookie A.
Yarn: Patons Kroy Sock, 2 skeins
Needles: Size 2.5mm Dpns
Mods: I changed a couple things but not much, nice pattern!

Pattern: Quick Cable Hat (here)
Needles: Size 8 and Size 9 16" circs
Yarn: Stitch Nation Full of Sheep, 1 skein

I don't think I'll have a lot of knitting time, but I am bringing yarn for 3 pairs of socks. It's small yarn! Also, bringing some crochet hooks in case my needles are confiscated!
I'll take a lot of pictures and update when I get home!

Leaving On a Jet Plane

2011-03-12T19:23:00.000-05:00

My almost fully packed suitcase.
(Yes it is tiny....I've come to terms with that)
I have not spun in .... 4 months? I did start spinning some white merino, and then stopped about a month ago. I like to spin. I just stopped doing it. I think the reason is that with knitting or reading or writing (Even for school!) it's a rather passive activity. I can sit on my bed or the couch and do anything of those things while reclining back. Spinning I need to sit straight with my feet on the floor, and my bed is too high for that. I think crafts that are more "lazy" I'm more likely to do! My parents just bought a new couch (to be specific, my dad's away on business, but has consulted with my mother throughout the couch buying process), for upstairs, so maybe my wheel can live up there and I can use it upstairs? We'll see.

For those still interested, I'm still posting on my Tumblr. A little more often than here, it's going to be more of a personal blog than anything.

I know I've mentioned it before, but I think I'll explain about Chile. I'm in a class in my university which is taught throughout the semester but as part of the class, we go to Chile during spring break. So in less than two weeks, I'm headed out! There's about 16 of us going on the trip, and we'll be spending about 4 days in Santiago, 4 days in Chepica with host families and then another 4 days in Santiago. We'll actually be there the same time as Obama. Because of his trip, we're going to La Moneda Palace the day we get off the plane. It'll be interesting to get off the plane the same day and jump into nicer clothes to go to the La Moneda.

I will definitely take tons of pictures and post about my trip when I get back! I'm not planning on knitting a lot but I'm going to bring a couple projects. One unstarted for the plane as well as some cotton and crochet hook if they take the needles away!

Also, all this stuff:

Needs to be packed, as well as dealing with an almost full week at school! Wish me luck!

FO: Monkey Socks

2011-03-02T20:16:00.003-05:00

First, before the FO, some sad but hopefully temporary news. I'm a student, and I work. I'm taking six classes, one studio painting class. Because of these things, I'd had to shut down my Etsy shop. I hope this is temporary, and I can reopen when I have more time in the summer, but I'm not promising anything. I'm sorry to the people that were waiting for me to start sewing again.

In more happy news, I finished some socks! These are for my sister. She likes orange!

Pattern: Monkey Socks!
Needles: Size 1, 2.25mm
Yarn: Farmhouse Yarn's Fannie's Fingering.
Mods: I did the toe differently.

My parents got me these sock blockers for christmas! How awesome are they? I liked that with the monkey pattern, it nicely blocked out the lace.

I also started another pair of socks from Cookie A's book, Knit. Sock. Love. I started the Wedge socks for my brother. I'm loving them.

Very interesting wedge/short row construction so not boring to knit but not too hard for class or TV knitting. Interesting heel too!

FO: Cream and Sugar Copycat Cowl

2011-02-26T16:21:00.002-05:00

My blog anniversary was Friday! I meant to post but I just became too lazy. This little blog is four years old!

I also finished my cowl!

Pattern: Sugar and Creme Cowl
Needles: Size 5
Yarn: Madtosh Sock yarn in Ginger... yes, the same as the original version. I HAD to!

What I would do if I knit it again (planning to, mom loves mine!): I would not knit a bit of extra ribbing at the top like I did on this one. I will go down a couple needle sizes on the ribbing so it doesn't want to fold over. I like how it looks though!

Apparently, I'm Reviewing Things

2011-02-20T16:43:00.006-05:00

A lot of things have happened this week.
A couple big personal things, so I'm not going to talk about them for a while.
As for knitting, I finished a cowl. I'm waiting for it to dry.
I'm leaving for Chile in a couple (3?) weeks and I'm really excited. It'll be a nice distraction. I'm like going crazy looking for solid alternatives to liquids like shampoo, etc because we're not checking luggage. So I bought solid shampoo from an etsy seller. I'm really impressed with it. It lathered up really easily but it did make my hair feel odd and I did have to rinse it with vinegar but I've read that eventually your hair gets used it.

I've bought a lot of things for this trip, and I'm not even two weeks away! I'm still planning on making at least one skirt (we have to wear pants even though it's going to be warm because we'll stick out like sore thumbs otherwise!). I bought Tom's Classic shoes, which I've been planning on for a while but when I realized I had no walking shoes? I had to buy them, and I bought a pair of walking brown sneakers as well.

The sneakers I've owned a pair in the past and I wore them to Europe when I visited with my grandfather in high school. I think we got them when I was about 13, and I still had them when I was 17. Holes and all, I loved them. Cute, but still had support and not too stiff so you don't get blisters when you break them in. I normally wear boots, flats or sandals, I rarely wear sneakers. I don't run in these, but really, it takes a lot for me to like a shoe. Also, they are not unfriendly to the wide footed people. I have wide feet that are not wide enough for wide size, so these are perfect. My new pair is good so far, I wore them two days and it was nice to not be walking flat on the ground like I normally am with boots or flats in the winter!

As for the Toms, I cannot speak for them personally, but I have a friend and her and her boyfriend love them. I think they're both on the second pair of them. My friend actually wore threw the fabric of the toe rather fast, and when she called Tom's replaced them for her!

Another thing is that I discovered this ice cream. I bought it at whole foods but I'm hoping to find it in my local Stop and Shop (which has a natural foods section). I'm lactose intolerant, as well has being allergic to Lactaid pills, so I have few options when it comes to ice cream. This coconut stuff? It was so good. It was not low fat in any way but it had a handful of ingredients - and get this - I could read and pronounce ALL of them(I got the dark chocolate flavor). And if you're on a "no processed sugar diet" it fits into it, with only agave syrup as sweetener. Obviously, it tastes like coconut milk, so if you're not a fan, I couldn't suggest it. But it's heaven for a coconut lover/non-dairy consumer. It wasn't cheap but, for the occasional treat it would be fine.

I didn't really mean to review things in this post but I guess that's what it turned into? I think I will try to post this weekend about knitting! I'm hoping to sew but I'm making no promises! And just so everyone knows, I bought all this stuff myself and I'm getting no kickbacks from the companies/sellers!

Race Towards Thursday

2011-02-13T20:05:00.003-05:00

Every week just feels like a race to me, it's like I just go go go. I know I do have more time than I used to, but six classes and working like 12 hours is a lot. I end up on thursday night with my room a wreck and tons of homework to do that weekend (yes, my weekend starts thursday night. I have no class friday, but I babysit friday).

Before the race starts tomorrow I have a couple things to update on. This weekend I went to Northampton with a couple friends. Although we did go to Webs, we also walked around the town a lot. I'm looking forward to going back soon, because it was great spending the day there. Tons of little shops, not overpriced and lots of neat stuff. We went out to breakfast at Sylvester's, which was awesomely delicious. We all got the twobytwobytwo, pancakes/french toast, eggs and bacon. I got cinnamon bun french toast. It was the best!

Mckayla had apple pancakes and did like them, despite this face.

Mullica liked the fresh squeezed orange juice!

I don't remember why they were doing this, but they were "psyching" up to go to Webs! It was a really great day. I also got some yarn (one ball! can you believe it?) at Webs, as well as some plastic needles that were cheap so hopefully security on the plane to and from Chile won't take them away!

FO: Bitterseed Shawl

2011-02-11T08:45:00.003-05:00

Just rolling out the FOs, here! I started everything around the same time, so it's all being finished now!

Pattern: Bitterroot from knitty
Yarn: Mad Tosh Sock yarn
Needles: Size 6 circs
Mods: Uh. I ran out of yarn. For the cast off row. I found a very similar yarn I had already and luckily, you can't even tell unless you look closely!

I love it. The yarn looks silky and has gorgeous color variation and was a joy to knit with. I would not want this on my feet, and many people on Rav say that as gorgeous as the Tosh Sock is, it doesn't last for socks. So that's that!

About the pattern: I think this was one of my favorite shawl patterns. It had long enough sections of pattern repeats that I was able to knit it primarily in class but still changed pattern throughout the shawl so it held my interest and my knitterly happiness! A five star FO!

FO: Two Hats

2011-02-06T09:11:00.002-05:00

I finished the Choochoo hat for my little cousin. We had fun taking pictures of it on his head but I did get a couple ones.

Pattern: I found the chart from a pattern on Rav, and made up the rest.
Yarn: Leftover from Various Sweaters: Valley Yarns Northampton
Needles: Size 8

Mike also needed a hat, so I started it on the ride up to Vermont and finished it yesterday.

They are out of the same yarn, from Mike's Sweater. For Mike's hat, I used double stranded, 80 sts ribbing. That's it!

FO: Owls Sweater

2011-02-05T11:14:00.002-05:00

I finished! I think this sweater took me only a couple weeks, and if I had just knit the sweater I probably could have finished in a week.
I'm currently in Vermont and everyone is skiing and Mike wanted to go outside but was not aware I wanted him to take pictures, so some of these are me getting mad at him about not wanting to take pictures!

Pattern: Owls
YarnL Louet Riverstone Chunky (I wish I had knit it tighter, but you know. Hindsight is 20/20)
Needles: Size 10.5
Mods: Um I did weird should shaping. I knit the short rows after the initial decreases, tried it on, said "Heck no!", and looked up what others had done. Then, I decreased on a each top of the shoulder 6 sts on each side over 12 rows (I think) and then did more short rows to bring up the back and push the front down. It worked pretty well, until I realized I did it off center....So I did it again!
I also cast on for the body with the 38" size and only increased back up to the 36" size because I have hips, people. The designer only made the bottom 1 or 2" smaller than the bust, but I normally need 38" around the hips.

And here's some when I was making funny faces!

"What do you mean, you don't WANT to stand in the middle of the road and take pictures of my NEW sweater?"

I love it. I wish it was a bit longer. But that's always my complaint with everything with my long torso.

What I'm Into:

2011-02-02T11:37:00.002-05:00

Law and Order SVU on Netflix
I have had two snow days, this is the second. I am getting the message: yes, universe, I will knit. I've been watching Law and Order SVU constantly. I watched it a lot during winter break and I found myself depressed. I wondered why. Then I realized what I had been watching constantly! So, I will try not to watch it as much.

Shoveling?
I don't want to shovel. But we have a giant driveway. L-shaped and has a wall on one side so, it's diffcult to shovel up and over. Luckily, dad mostly snowblows everything.

Vermont
I knitting this whole day. This weekend I'm going to Vermont, I'm pretty excited. I had school Monday, no school Tuesday or today and then classes tomorrow on Thursday, no classes on Friday. We leave at 2pm for Vermont. Very excited! When I was younger, we would go and I would snowboard or ski. I only do it once a year so it ended up that I was in major pain the next day. So I gave up on that! We go there, and I might sled or ice skate, but mostly I'll knit and play with my little cousin! I'm going to try to finish my Owls sweater before this weekend but we'll see (I'm on the sleeves!).

Credit for "What I'm Into:" from Julie!

FO: Socks of a Spy!

2011-02-01T18:37:00.003-05:00

Currently avoiding my painting homework. It's a reproduction painting. Argh, it has a little cupid in it and he just looks terrible. But yesterday was Mike Brown's birthday and conviently I finished his socks!

Pattern: Plain socks, 64 sts, then 66 on the foot
Yarn: Several. Left over black sock yarn, and both the others are Online Supersocke.
Needles: 1.5 Us size dpns.

These were fun to knit, and I'm hoping to do a similar thing with the other leftovers I have. I have a lot and they all are pretty sizable. Now that I made a yarn diet, I'm really not buying yarn, except if the project is urgent - and not urgent for me, but for other people. My grandfather who has been a huge support and always interested in my education made me the awesome shelf I had a picture of a couple posts back. I sent him a thank you letter offering up any type of knitting and he asked for a pair of socks. So I bought some grey yarn for that but that's IT so far! Not bad for me, at least.

FO: Chinese Ice Queen

2011-01-30T17:17:00.002-05:00

Pattern: Ice Queen (Knitty!)
Yarn: Kangaroo Dyer Silk/Mohair Blend, Halo.
Needles: Size 8 and 6 circs 16"
Mods: None. I think I may knit more repeats.

I like it. It's so similar in color to the ice queen that I made myself and still wear, so that was strange. But I love the color variation in it, blue/green is just gorgeous!
Hoping to finish my boyfriend's socks by tomorrow for his birthday and my owls sweater by the end of the week! Stay tuned!

Works In Progress: Snowy Thursday

2011-01-27T09:09:00.001-05:00

Yeah, so it's been snowing. Like pretty much everyday here. We got 12 inches, no big deal.

I don't know if it's because I went back to class for the semester, but I've been casting on for everything I've wanted to make in a long time, which I think is a good thing. I've kept it under control, I only have four WIPs.

First off, the one closest to completion:

This is an Ice Queen for my Dad's coworker in China. He's leaving in February sometime, and I think his plan is to mail it to her. I think I have a couple more repeats to do on this and it'll be done. The yarn as been in the stash for about three years now! So I'm glad to have something to do with it!

Second closest:

Mike's Spy socks! I finished the first last week, and I'm working on the second. It's good plain class knitting but it's been recently losing out to other things...

This is a Bitterroot Shawl (Knitty!) that I've had plans for a long time. I didn't want to make socks out of this yarn (MadTosh Sock Weight!!!), because it's 100% wool, and I thought a shawl would be nice. Not only is this yarn soft and squishy, it's color makes me want to swoon! I'm sure you can see why it's been wining the WIP battle!

Finally. My owls sweater. I finished the body I believe on Monday. I've been going to school and doing readings, painting, etc so I haven't had the time (=energy) to cast on for the sleeves. I want to do them 2 at once, too, to make it more complicated.

Hopefully I'll have an FO post soon for one of these WIPs!!!

Cleaning with Buttons

2011-01-21T09:20:00.002-05:00

I've been cleaning. I'm not an organized person. At all. It's like pulling teeth to make myself be organized. And I'm not anywhere near the level of my college roommate that I fought with about cleanliness. My grandfather built this shelf for me, and one of the reasons I want it is because I want to try to stay organized during school. We'll see.

I also found out I have a rather sizable button collection. There's a couple sets, the wooden ones on top I bought at Joanns and they only had a couple left. Then I went back recently and bought more - so, I have 12 buttons now of those. Those metal ones are from the Audrey sweater and they were too heavy. My mom has a large collection of mismatching buttons but it's from her grandmother, who apparently used to cut the buttons off everything she didn't use, and saved them. Now I've started my own!

FO: Toddler Socks

2011-01-20T08:56:00.003-05:00

After I finished my mom's sweater the other day, I promptly cast on for two more projects (one, an Owls sweater that I've been planning for a while, and a cowl too!). And now, I feel like there's nothing I *have* to knit, so I've been switching around, focusing on different project what seems like for an hour then switching again.

These little socks I started to get rid of some leftovers almost entirely (this was mostly successful. I have a bit left but I should keep it for darning).

Pattern: Cast on 40, heel on 20, decreased to 44.
Yarn: Sheep Shop 3, Sherbet
Needles: Size 1, 2.25.

They are for my cousin Max that I babysit all the time, and hopefully today I may get some pictures of him wearing them. But I have to somehow act like I really don't want him to wear them then maybe he'll want to... or I could try to put them on my feet and he'll be jealous and want them? Anyone have any suggestions to get a two year old to wear things you want him too?

I've been doing really well on my yarn diet - I've knit about 200 grams of yarn, (probably more) and I haven't used up my yarn "credit" yet. I'm even thinking I should try to knit twice as much of the weight of yarn before buying more. I realized I really need to plan out before Rhinebeck this year - like buy no yarn from May to October and knit like a mad woman because I normally buy 600 grams + of yarn there! But I'm thinking this year, I should try not to buy a sweater's quantity, unless something really grabs me! I can't believe I'm planning all this in January for October!!!

But, currently, I've been splitting my queue on Ravelry up, into things that I have the yarn for and am planning on knitting and things that I will knit someday but I don't have the yarn for. I have a lot of sock yarn currently that I want to knit shawls out of. Any favorites that are not-so well heard of?

FO: Mom's Girl Friday

2011-01-18T11:04:00.002-05:00

Wow! I know, this is abnormal, two days, two blog posts! Well, I had to share right away.

I finished my mom's sweater! According to Rav, I don't even know when I started this, but I finished the knitting sunday, and finished the sewing everything up last night (I like seaming!).

I think I started in Ocotber or somewhere around that, and I took a break for Christmas knitting, so I think with all things accounted for, this maybe took a month and a half. I used Valley Yarns Northampton. This is the 3rd time I've used this yarn for a sweater. I made myself a sweater out of it, my boyfriend and now my mom. I really suggest it if you're not quite a sweater knitter yet - it's $5 a ball, 247 yards. This sweater took 5 balls. You really get a lot of bang for the buck. My sweater is the one I've had the longest - 2 years now, and it's pilling but not excessively. Northampton is not the softest yarn, but $25 = a sweater! And the colors! Ok, now I'm gushing....

But. As for the pattern: Girl Friday. At first, I wasn't so into it. I thought my mom would like it but I didn't really like it. First, the lace pattern grew on me. Now that it's blocked, it's less textural but still has a nice "bump" going, like cables only they're not. The shawl collar makes it feel cozier I think, and the lace makes it stretchy so it fits nicely and doesn't need a lot of shaping.

However. I totally forgot about it while knitting the fronts, but I did do some waist shaping in the back! But, it was only about 4 sts each side so it didn't end up making a difference. Other than that, my only other mods were the length - I think I knit it about 3" longer than the pattern called for. And, I knit the sleeves in the round (much more complicated than I thought).

Pattern: Girl Friday
Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton, Midnight heather. 4.8ish skeins.
Needles: Size 8 Knitpicks interchangables.
Buttons are from Joann's, they're coconut. Nice and lightweight.

Catching Up

2011-01-17T20:48:00.003-05:00

I delivered the wholesale order in a couple days ago. I also got more zippers so, hopefully I'll be making more box bags for my shop soon!

I also got a neat mannequin foot from my friend Mckayla to display my socks on!

My mom's sweater is so close to completion. I just bought the buttons today, I'm working on sewing in the sleeves now. I have the edging done on the front, and I seamed everything else!

Yellow Heels and Sweaters

2011-01-10T17:51:00.002-05:00

Now that I've gone back to work, I have a lot less down time! I've been sewing for that wholesale order, and luckily, we might have a snow day Wednesday. I'm working tomorrow and taking the day off wednesday so I can stay in and sew! (I need to sew 5 more box bags, and I'd like to update the shop a bit!)

As for knitting I haven't been doing much. My mom's birthday festivities were this past weekend and I put the pieces for the sweater in a gift bag, everyone thought it was funny that I hadn't QUITE finished it yet! I'm currently working on the sleeves.

Other than that? I started a toddler sized sock for my cousin, and that's it! I also went to a consignment shop with some friends yesterday, where I drooled over the purses and walked away from them when I saw the prices! I did get some heels, $5!

Blogging Twice.

2011-01-06T09:06:00.002-05:00

So, I have been blogging on my tumblr along with my co blogger about everyday...which means I don't thinking about blogging AGAIN. I apologize that I have not been around, but I have been sewing. Alot. I have 12 bags finished, I have 12 more to go. 6 of those are for my shop, and the other 18 are for the LYS that will soon be carrying Fat Penguin Bags!

But, before the sewing started, I went back to work after a two week long holiday from work and school: strange and nice but yet so annoying. I'm working babysitting and at school during the break, and the last week of January I go back to school.

As for knitting, I had the best idea ever. In an effort to clean out some of my scraps of yarn (rather a large amount of scraps too), I'm making mike dress socks...

But, they are not normal dress socks. These dress socks are going to be black by looking at them and then within the shoe, on the part of the foot you can't see? They will be colorful and stripey! I'm so excited.

Also, today is my mom's birthday! Happy birthday mom! I'm making her a sweater (besides what you see here, I have an almost done sleeve!)

Off to babysit!

Stash and FO

2011-01-02T12:49:00.002-05:00

My outfit a day idea is going really well: but my partner in crime is having camera issues (she isn't too good with things with wires). But I posted yesterday's outfit and todays: check it out!

In knitting news: I've decided to try to knit up 1.5 the amount of yarn that I want to buy. For example, I want to make a infinity scarf and a shawl, and make an order for knitpicks of 250 grams. So I have to knit up 375 grams of yarn before I order it. I don't know if this will work because I need to finish the shawl by February!

Want pictures of the full stash, fiber, leftovers and all?
"Real" full skein stash:

Leftover/fiber Stash:

Also, I finished a hat!

Pattern: Rose Red by Ysolda
Yarn: Gedifra Angora Merino 1.5 skeins
Needles: Size 6 circ
Mods: None!

I love it. It's so soft and light, and is very warm. This picture is preblocking but I haven't taken any since! Currently I am working on my mom's sweater. Her birthday is Thursday and I have two sleeves and a collar to finish! I doubt that I will be able to finish it but soon it'll be done!

End of Year Collages

2010-12-31T11:23:00.003-05:00

First, check out my new joint tumblr with my friend Molly who is also doing the outfit a day thing: here! I'll occasionally post things over here, as well but generally, we'll be posting over there!

Since it's new years, I decided to do a collage of my favorite Finished Objects!

I know that the third one down on the right is not a FO from this year, but I had to add it because I babysat that little squirt for the majority of the year, and he's become a big part of my life, along with my uncles and aunt.

Another thing that became a big huge, SUCCESSFUL part of my life is Etsy! I started an etsy this year, I dropped off it a bit but still have been making sales and shipping. Amazingly, I will be soon carried at a yarn shop in CT. I'll let you know when it starts!

For now, have a good year and I hope to greet it by finishing a hat!

New Year

2010-12-29T20:12:00.002-05:00

I'm going to make a few resolutions and my family who read my blog might laugh at me, but I don't care.

1. This isn't really a resolution but! I have A LOT of clothes, as my mom reminded me the other day. Tons. So, for the first month of the year, I'm not going to repeat an outfit. I'm going to post a picture everyday on my facebook, and if I get inspired, I'll put some up here. I have a couple rules (like, I can wear sweats at home, but if I'm not going out all day, I need to put on something besides sweats for a while), but it's mostly just, don't repeat! I can wear the same clothes but not the exact same outfit. It should be interesting.

2. I want to comment on more blogs. Idiot me has been wondering why my comments dropped off recently. It's because I don't comment. Silly. So I want to comment on posts I find interesting. I normally read and think, oh they don't care. But I'll just comment anyways!

3. Knit more! Buy yarn less! I currently have a very full yarn shelf and under bed bins of scraps AND a small cedar chest full of roving. I think I might be inspired to get all of it out and take a picture. Maybe that will make me buy less. I'm not totally overwhelmed with my stash and I won't say I'm not going to buy yarn this year, but I want to end up at the end of the year with less yarn than I started with.

In other news, ironically I already bought yarn. But it's for socks for Kimmy, and it's so orange (one of the favorite colors) I had to get it for her. I visited Mckayla who lives near Connecitcut Yarn and Wool (Farmhouse Yarns, anyone?). Then we played with her new swift and my ball winder. Obviously, the orange is mine. The blue is yarn I got LAST CHRISTMAS for an owl sweater: see resolution # 3.

And although I finished the Liesl sweater today that I didn't finish for christmas I have no pictures of it and have not blocked or woven in the ends. Bad knitter. But here is me knitting and drinking tea with Mckayla. This was the "I'm going to hold my finger over the flash so you don't look terrible" shot. She couldn't figure out how to turn off the flash.

Dreggs of Christmas

2010-12-28T08:34:00.002-05:00

Christmas came and went, and I recieved many gorgeous gifts (highlights: Harmony DPN set from my parents, lace blocking wire, a purple peacoat, from my cousin, and a box full of fabric from my aunt anne) and gave a lot too. I gave momma (mike's grandmother)
her hat:

And a lot of other knitted gifts that I didn't get pictures of! But they all seemed to be a hit!

The truffles I made were VERY chocolate-full and although they were liked, we still have leftovers.

My grandfather Burt was at it again this year, and made my cousin Max a wooden train set and a chest of blocks!

I told Burt a couple months ago I wanted a shelf with drawers in the bottom, gave him a drawing and measurements. I told him, whenever you can finish it is fine with me! Well, on Christmas he showed me the almost completed shelf and said one week!

It's absolutely gorgeous in real life, and the bottom slot will have drawers in it. I wanted to get rid of my desk in my room that I never use and I though a wide shelf with drawers would be the perfect solution.

Our white new england christmas came a day late, and I think we're all thankful! Except for maybe this cardinal, he probably never wanted it to come!

Christmas Eve Will Find Me Knitting and Baking

2010-12-24T14:02:00.002-05:00

I finished some French Press Slippers:

Pattern: French Press Slippers
Yarn: Debbie Stoller Stitch Nation Full Of Sheep, 1.5 skeins
Needles: Size 15

And a hat.

Pattern: Vernalis
Needles: Size 3
Yarn: Perwinkle Sheep Sock Yarn
Mods: Did an extra pattern repeat before decreases.

And making truffles but no pictures of that yet!

Wire, Pearls, and Orange

2010-12-20T14:36:00.003-05:00

I started a hat for Mike's grandmother....

It's knit with sock yarn and this pattern. I hope I can get in done in time for Christmas Eve! I also have a pair of slippers I haven't started! And a Liesl sweater that is only half way done with the torso!

I also wanted to make something for Mike's sister and maybe my aunt. I thought knit earrings would be cool, and I'm really happy the way they turned out.

These are for Mike's sister:

And these are for my aunt:

The pattern is here.
Hopefully I finish everything!

Ally's Shawl

2010-12-18T10:07:00.003-05:00

I finished the Shetland Lace shawl friday morning, and blocked it last night!

I love blocking. I didn't use a piece of cotton this time like I normally do to straighten the edges, and while I regret it, it was a smaller shawl so it was easier than most.

I love blocking because I turn this:

Into this:

By just doing this:

Pattern: Shetland Triangle by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Laceweight, overdyed by me a darker blue, only 50gr skein and I didn't use all of it.
Needles: Size 6 (two sizes larger than recommended made it a lot more lacy but I love it, as will the recipient I'm sure)
Mods: Only did 10 repeats of the main pattern, but I wanted to finish and I think it turned out plenty big!

I'm done with exams, and I will be working at school next week a little and with my cousin a little. I hope I can start and finish a hat and slippers and finish the sweater!

Exam Time and Christmas Time Collide

2010-12-14T14:44:00.003-05:00

I currently am right in the heat of exams. I have mostly essays: 4 of them, and only one "real" exam. I'm not worried about the actual exam at all, but I've finished three of the four essays, and started the last, which only needs to be four pages. And I already wrote one!

It's looking very much like Christmas around the house, which sends me into a panic, thinking about all the knitting and wrapping I need to do before Christmas! I have to block some socks and then I have about 10 knit items to wrap up before christmas, and I have to find a frame and mat some of my drawings...

But in about 36 hours, I will be done with this semester. Thank god. I still need to finish so much knitting.

I am on the edging of Ally's shawl though!

Wish me luck on exams!

Huh? Less than two weeks?

2010-12-12T09:41:00.002-05:00

Oh yes. I have a blog. I also have finals next week and an ungodly amount of Christmas knitting to do (mental note: do not knit for christmas next year, you will have your senior thesis and an internship. DO NOT knit!).

I have a hat and a pair of slippers I haven't started. I have a half done Liesl sweater. I have a shawl for Mike's sister that I'm about half done with. I have a cuff of a mitten that I think will be too big.

The grey is the Liesl, which is into the body part now, the blue is the shawl, I need 11 repeats of the pattern, I've done 8 (?) then I have to do the edging, and the green is the possibly too big mitten.

And the orange is going to be a hat (in theory) and the blue will be slippers! Wish me luck!

Birthday

2010-12-05T14:05:00.002-05:00

Friday was my birthday and I went out to dinner with some friends (I invited a lot of people but most people had to work, etc but it was nice to get to know some girls from my class), and yesterday I went visit my friends and went to the mall. Mullica bought me a mug!

I love it! She bought it from Hartford Art School's Cermaics sale (if you're around hartford, it's at the art school here's some more info!)

Mckayla informed me she is buying me a mannequin foot for modeling my socks which is very exciting!

And in knitting news, I started Ally's christmas shawl!

FO: Nemesis Socks and Christmas Upstarts

2010-12-02T20:54:00.003-05:00

I did felt Ben's slippers but I didn't get around to photographing them. They're still a little too big... but I sent them through 3 cycles of washing! Anyways, I did finish Nana's socks!

Pattern: Nemesis from Knitty
Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll
Needes: Knitpicks Harmony Fixed Circs, size 2.25mm.

And I started some Mitered Mittens from Elizabeth Zimmerman for my sister, in the same yarn as her Infinity scarf.

I'm going to start Ally's shawl soon.... stay posted. (PS: It's my birthday tomorrow yay!)

Skirt, Stash and Christmas

2010-11-27T18:09:00.002-05:00

Just have a couple unorganized, unrelated (mostly) thoughts. First! I've been making skirts (well one is done, one is cut out and one is in fabric form waiting for the prewash), because apparently it took me a three years of wearing skirts in the winter to realize if I wore heavier, lined, fitted skirts I'd be warmer. So I took the bottom half of a dress pattern I liked and I made one on Wednesday. I had some problems having enough fabric, but it was mostly because of the width - it was 51 instead of 54 inches wide. Sneaky, sneaky.

It's purple really. It was unfortunately a bad choice to wear on thanksgiving - it was tight on my waist and then I had dinner and three (little!) slices of pie. This one is a polyester blend outer skirt with a polyester lining, the next one will have the same lining and a wool outer skirt (which will sadly be dry clean only). I have some more that's cotton but it's flannel like for another plaid one too.

I used 7/8 of a yard of both fabrics and to get a fold for both parts of the skirt I folded the fabric to the middle! I was very happy my mom taught me that!

Now, I'm sure I've mentioned before, my aunt knits and spins (my mom and nana knit too) and she gave me my wheel, and lent me the carders for my project and in general has just given me pretty cool stuff! So I came home with this bag full of roving/yarn last night.

The dark stuff is all alpaca, the one in the middle is processed top and the rest is uncarded. The white on the left is roving, a merino blend. There's some mohair as well.

And that's flax top! I'm pretty excited to try that out. And there's a bag of already spun yarn from the top. I think I might skein and dye it. I'm going to split the roving with my new-to-spinning friend, the alpaca roving is a pound and three ounces!

This is the list of christmas gifts! I have a little key so I know what I'm doing and how far I've gotten. I'm doing pretty well, considering I have about a month!

Bold means finished

Means have no yarn not started

Means have yarn and started

Have yarn not started

Finish Kim's Scarf

and mittens

Ben's slippers from scarf yarn

Nana's Socks

Shawl for Ally
Scarf for Dawn Brown
Hat for Momma
Cowl Mustache for alex uncle?

Andy's socks
Jen's Socks
Caroline's socks.
Ben's Scarf (frogged)

French Press slippers for jillian
Inese Liesl Sweater

SALE and an FO!

2010-11-25T12:27:00.002-05:00

A Quick post:
SALE - Fat Penguin Bags: On black friday, I will activate a coupon for my whole shop to be 20% any order! Just use: noblackbagsforyou, and you will recieve 20% off your order! Shop is here!
Something that was listed recently:

And an FO! Well, pics of a finished FO you've seen.

Pattern: Infinity scarf (basically a mesh pattern over a lot of stitches in the round)
Yarn: Malabrigo from a Frogged Liesel sweater I made two years ago. Planning on making mittens from it too!
Needles: Size eights 32" circs.

I like it! It's for my sister for christmas, and I think I want to make myself one! probably not the same pattern but a similar one! Her neck definitely won't be cold!

Blocking Central

2010-11-21T10:22:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I finished Dawn's Annis Shawl after many, many problems. It only took me 11 days, even with all that frogging!

I blocked it last night, and since I had been avoiding blocking Kim's Infinity scarf, I did that too. My mom's sewing area has a nice big fold out table that was perfect!

This shawl blocked out into a nice crescent shape really easily. My dad just got back from China, and wants me to make a scarf for his interpretor, and I think I'll use this pattern, it is so pretty! You can see Kim's scarf in the background there, that took just a little bit of soaking and then I used a garbage bag to protect the table and just pushed it into shape with my hands. For the shawl, I used a cardboard fabric cutting board my mom has and pinned it into shape.

Pattern: Annis from Knitty
Yarn: Malabrigo Laceweight Velvet Grapes
Needles: Size 8 Knitpicks Interchangeables 32" Circ
Mods: I added two extra repeats, cast on 387 sts (I think) and adjusted the short rows because of that.

I really enjoyed knitting it, once I knew what I was doing was right!

I also started some Fuzzy Feet Slippers for Ben (my brother) last night, I got really far!

I'm making these out his scarf yarn - I decided it's really not scarf yarn at all. It's way too itch, but probably perfect to felt!

Mostly Scarf Frustration

2010-11-19T20:13:00.003-05:00

So I've actually started spinning my archeology project, which I have to finish this color and another color (about 3 ounces each of hopefully sport weight yarn) and then knit at least part of a mitten. This picture is from before an hour or so of spinning, so I have a little more done.

I'm having major problems currently with carding the stuff. It apparently is either beyond me or I'm missing something about how to make a rolag... And I have problems with little nubbs of fiber that are really short hairs that get in my spinning and create lumps. I'm not too worried about this but, still.

I've been carding as I go, hoping that at some point there'll be an Ah-ha! moment in this mess.

Other than occasionally spinning and freaking out about the amount of work I have for school, I have been knitting a bit. But, I knit enough to have finished this scarf/shawl about three times, at least that's what I feel like! I cast on originally almost 1.5 weeks ago, and then, I realized it would be too small monday, after getting to the short row shaping (knitterly denial, right down to the last minute, that was). Then, I ripped. Monday night I cast on approximately 70 different times before I got the right amount of stitches in the right pattern on the right needles (to complicate this, I decided to change from my size sevens to size eights AND add two pattern repeats to lengthen it). Last night, I realized that though I had thought that I figured out the short row stuff to include the extra repeats, I was off by about 5 stitches. Rip. Urgh. But I'm here for now.

But I think I'm goo now. I hope. (This is an Annis Shawl, in malabrigo lace weight)

New Spinning

2010-11-16T20:58:00.002-05:00

A couple people asked me about my photos in the past couple posts: I have a point and shoot Cannon Powershot camera. It's a couple years old, and I don't know if they even make it anymore, but honestly, the best tips for ANY camera is use natural light. All the time. No excuses. Or find a really good light that doesn't cast a yellow tint on what you are photographing. Also, I love closeups so I use the macro setting. Marco is normally the little flower symbol on the camera and is great for closeups of yarn or knits!

I spun this yarn over the past year. I bought it at Rhinebeck and started it right after - I wanted a 3ply sock weight. I just finished it this weekend, I have this skein, about 250 yards and then another little skein of 50 yards.

Mike picked it out, and I didn't even notice the sparkles until I plied it! It's very consistent though, I'm happy with it. I started spinning my archaeology project, I will take pictures of it this weekend. I started Mike's Mom's Annis Shawl over again, and again and again because you have to cast on almost four hundred stitches. I took the first part out because I was knitting it on size 7s - it was too small. So I cast on with two extra repeats! Wish me luck!

Apple-y Muffins

2010-11-14T17:13:00.004-05:00

So I've started working at school in the criminology department office - copying and scanning and doing generally boring but easy stuff. Sometimes don't have anything to do but I do homework, etc. when that happens. But I have free weekends! To show my thanks, I made them muffins, and they were great but I made them late at night and was very worried if they would taste alright. But, they were fine so I made them again this morning and photographed the process so you can make your own delicious apple muffins!

I got the recipe from here, and even though it explains that the batter will be thick, I still was surprised with how thick!

Apple Muffins

Cream together:
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Sift: ( She didn't sift and neither did I and they turned out great )
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 apples)
Brown sugar for topping (around 1/2 cup)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add dry ingredients (did this by adding all but the flour them mixing, then adding the flour a cup at a time) to creamed mixture. The batter will be very thick. Add the diced apples.

Butter & flour (just sprayed, didn't flour) muffin tins or use paper liners. Fill muffin tins almost to the top about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 18-24 muffins.

Source: Marissa Pinon

This is the batter right before the diced apples:

It looks like cookie batter, but it loosens a little bit after the apples.

(I had scooped out most of the muffins by then)

And they have tons of apples in them too, it seems like a lot but they are very apple-y! (That picture is pre-brown sugar sprinkles!)

Updating

2010-11-08T19:41:00.002-05:00

I have been knitting. I finished a scarf, only to finally admit to myself that yes, the yarn was in fact too itchy for a scarf. So it's waiting to be frogged for slippers! I also finished my sister's infinity scarf, but have not blocked it. I stacked my sister's on top, and I'm going to frog my brother's scarf underneath soon!

It's hard to pick colors for my brother and sister because they both like green, but I think I did pretty well staying away from the same green in this instance at least!

I also finished a sock - the Nemesis socks, but I'm waiting until Nana can try one on to see if it's too tight.

I really like it though, it was really fun to knit and I think that's why I finished it so fast. The only problem is that the decreases pull in on the fabric of the socks so it's a little hard to put on. But so pretty!

And finally, a shawl I started for Mike's mother for christmas. I bought the yarn at stitches, I went there with a mission, I wanted Bugga! yarn and some laceweight for the Annis Shawl, and I came away with some Malabrigo lace. I love the colors!

I still have been knitting a bit on my mom's sweater. Most of my recent projects, like everything I just wrote about, are Christmas projects, but my mom's sweater can probably wait until her birthday in January!

WIPs: Christmas!

2010-11-04T19:25:00.002-05:00

I've been working on Kim's scarf. I have enough yarn for a pair of mittens too!

I have about eight inches and I need ten so I hope to be done soon! I also finished Ben's scarf but I haven't washed or blocked it yet.

I started yet another pair of Christmas socks, this time for my Nana. I'm making Nemesis.

Really liking them so far!

FO: Mystery Socks!

2010-11-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

I loved knitting these. It felt like a school assignment or something (a good one!) to get a clue each week, and it felt like I just magically got socks at the end of the month!

Pattern: Mystery Socks 2010 by Through the Loops
Yarn: Moutain Colors Crazy Foot
Needles: Size 2.25mm

They're christmas socks!

Skirt, Scarf, and Stitches!

2010-10-31T14:06:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to show the wings I wore with my skirt. I didn't keep them on long, they got too hard to wear in around without injuring others.

I love it, and I also made a fascinator, which was fun.

I really hope I get to wear this costume again!

My mother has been knitting!

She had some handspun from my aunt she's using for a scarf!

Mckayla and I went to stitches east! I got some very unexciting photos of inside and this:

And I bought this:

I love the color (Skinny BUGGA!) and it's also my mom type color.

And this:

That's some Malabrigo Lace for mike's mom's shawl. I wound it tonight so I'll start soon!

Quick Skirt

2010-10-30T07:45:00.002-05:00

True to my last minute self, I finished my halloween skirt last night! (going to a party tonight!)

My friend made me wings and I'l wear a light purple shirt and some white tights! I'm so excited.
I'm off to stitches! Some lovely ravelers sent me their tickets they got in the goody bags, so this was impromptu!

Two Hats

2010-10-27T17:38:00.003-05:00

I'm in between two essays and just finished a presentation. I have an 8 page paper due next week, and I really need to get spinning on my fleece to mittens project for my class, but wanted to stop by to show off some hats.

The first hat is a quick, not very exciting hat that I made for my cousin's friend, and he'll be paying me a little bit (if I were to count my hours, I would have to charge $50. I wouldn't feel comfortable charging that for a hat, especially one so simple that I knit it all during classes, and my cousin said his friend really wanted it!).

Pattern: Made it up, 2x2 ribbing and decreases on 88 sts
Yarn: Woolease Chunky
Needles: Size 8

The second is my Piper hat that I made about a year ago now, and when I babysat my baby cousin Max last, he wore it for a bit!

And if you don't think that's cute:

Rhinebeck Purchases

2010-10-23T09:30:00.003-05:00

Oh so you want to know what I bought at Rhinebeck!

I honestly totally forgot about that part. First, I got some Fiber Optic's Kashmir. I just LOVE the color. I've been stopping myself from buying bugga and similar cashmere blends for socks because of the price and I told myself, that at Rhinebeck, I could just go for it!

And I of course bought tons from Sliver Moon Farms and Periwinkle Sheep (both in the same booth and I'm in love with both colors).

That is 75% regular wool and 25% superwash, so some strands are dyed darker than others, and it looks really good. I do love the gray, but unfortunately wanted several other colors that didn't have enough, I only found one skein when I needed two. But I love the gray!

And I bought some sock yarn in Mike's grandma's favorite color to make her a hat!

I do have some knit stuff to show but nothing finished yet (I made a hat for my mom's friend but I need to reknit it!).

I will leave with a picture of my friend heather that swore she would never spin.

Two FOs and a List of Knit Things for Christmas!

2010-10-19T11:41:00.003-05:00

After about three (?) weeks of attempting to get together with the recipient of the Brandywine Shawl to give it to her and photograph it...I work on the weekends, she doesn't, I have class during the week and she has work.
So I modeled it!

Pattern: Brandywine Shawl (LOVE IT)
Yarn: Steam Valley Yarn Sock yarn from Rhinebeck 2009!
Needles: Size 6 circulars

I also finished some christmas socks for my uncle.

Pattern: Garter Rib toe up over 60 sts
Yarn: Patons Kroy Sock Yarn
Needles: 2.5mm circs

This is the second pair of Christmas Socks, I'm making an another pair currently for my other cousin (the mystery sock), and I have at least one other pair of socks to knit.
I'm going to make a list, because it'll make me feel better!
1. Nana's chritmas socks (have yarn)
2. Finish ben's scarf
3. Shawl for mike's mom (need yarn)
4. Shawl for mike's sister (have yarn)
5. Hat for mike's grandmom (have yarn)
6. In theory, finish mom's sweater.
7. Finish kim's infinity scarf and make her mittens.

And do a project for school, wash card and spin fleece and then knit it into color work mittens.

Rhinebeck Love

2010-10-17T12:53:00.003-05:00

Wow. Rhinebeck was fantastic! Last year I went with my boyfriend, who was a total trooper and so great about everything! This year, I went with my four fibery friends (some old, some new) and piled in a prius and headed west to Rhinebeck!

There was a lot of yarn love (heather seemed to be avoiding my camera).

On the bottom right, that's Katherine with the first purchase of the day! Bottom left is mckayla peeking at me through the creative booth (which I visited 3 times only to not buy anything!), and at the top left, me snuggling yarn (part angora) and finally Kristen with her new roving!

There's tons more, but I'll probably do a Part II, but I'll leave you with a picture of everyone's purchases!

Fleece Cooking

2010-10-15T09:52:00.005-05:00

Wow. I don't remember if I've mentioned this but I have a really heavy class load this semester. Luckily I can knit in most of my class (yes, as well as taking notes) but I also have to work and keep my room clean (which is debatable currently) and try to do homework. I went away last weekend so I didn't really do any of those things, and then I have class pretty much constantly (oh and work) until now. So what am I doing? I'm washing fleece obviously.

(most of the white is in the little plaid fabric packages now!)

This is for my experimental archeology class, first I got the icelandic fleece (unwashed) from this etsy seller. I had to ask her not to wash it so I could be more authentic. So I'll wash, card, spin and then knit traditional Selbu mittens out of the fleece.

It's "cooking" on the stove a la Yarn Harlot, and I hope it is finished before work tonight!

(Rhinebeck tomorrow! YAY!)

My list of vendors I must see!

Brick Alley Pub + Knitting

2010-10-10T13:45:00.002-05:00

I'm currently in Newport. Yesterday was my five (!) year anniversary with my boyfriend, Mike. We went out to dinner and of course I took no pictures. His family goes to newport conveniently at the same time as our anniversary and today we went out to lunch at the Brick Alley Pub. I had lobster bisque (yum) and lobster mac and cheece (yum).

Mike's sisters got some nice stuffed cod (?) and a steak wrap.

And Mike got spicy buffalo chicken pasta and his mom got stuffed clams (with sausage in it, it was really good I had a bite!).

It was a really nice lunch. We did a bit of shopping on Saturday earlier and I got a nice necklace and earrings, and then just sat. I got alot of knitting done on my Through the Loops mystery sock, and I still haven't decided if I should start the other on other needles. Any opinions? Should just go with the clues and just knit one sock? I don't have a second pair of DPNs but I do have a slightly beat up pair of circs in the same size.

And my mom's sweater back is almost ready for the back armholes, I'm LOVING this texture.

Research with Sweater Knitting

2010-10-05T20:17:00.004-05:00

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I'm doing a project for Experimental Archeology, where I'm researching traditional fleece preparation and hand knitting. I bought Icelandic fleece from etsy in white and black, and I'm going to wash, card, spin and knit some traditional Selbu Norweigan mittens from the fleece. I've got a lot of knitting books, but can't find much about fleece preparation. But I do have these:

The second one down is "No Idle Hands: A History of Hand Knitting in America", and is very interesting so far, I will read more tonight.

Also, I started the Through the Loops Mystery Sock. They're for my cousin for Christmas, and I finished the first cuff but since it's a mystery, just click the link for the picture.

I started my mom's sweater, and I'm in love with the lace pattern. This is only the back. I think I've turned into a sweater knitter. I even like seaming.

Back At It

2010-10-01T14:19:00.002-05:00

Yes, those are my Layla bags, back on the sewing table.

I'm going to be running a sale starting today for the month of October - Buy 2 items - anything that's not a Layla bag or headband - and get one Layla bag of your choice free. OR if you buy 1 non-Layla
bag item or non-headband item, chose any Layla bag at 1/2 off. For the free bag with 2 items, put which one you want in the notes to the seller, and for the 1/2 off bag, buy the one you want, and I'll refund 1/2 off the Layla price. Please, message me if you have any questions on Etsy.

And I've been knitting like crazy, you've seen my finished Brandywine Shawl, which is blocked but needs to be photographed. I finished the sock I've been working on for my uncle!

His feet aren't much longer than mine.

I used Paton's Kroy Sock, and I knit from the toe up, and I used ALMOST all the yarn, because my cousin said he likes tall socks. There's only 166 yards in a skein of paton's but it seems with two, I'll get a relatively tall sock. I think it only cost about $7 or so for these socks!

I'll be listing more Layla Bags over the next couple days, so check out my shop occasionally.

Brandywine Shawl

2010-09-30T13:33:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update:

I finished (but have not blocked) my Brandywine Shawl! I did have a couple of issues (I wouldn't call them problems because I figured it out) with this pattern, things that a newer knitter I think would have trouble with, but I LOVED the pattern besides that. It made a absolutely wonderful class knit, with a bit of interest at each end but mostly mindless and garter stitch.

Hopefully will at least have blocking pictures soon!

Apple Picking on a 85 Degree Day

2010-09-25T14:39:00.003-05:00

I had a nice afternoon, even though it was really hot. Only a 85 degrees for the end of September! We went apple picking.

Most of the aisles had signs as to what apples where in it.

Then there was that sign! It was so cute.

And there's my current Christmas sock in progress. This particular one is for my uncle, out of Paton's Sock Yarn, just a plain garter rib pattern. I need to make only like 6 or 7 pairs for christmas so I'm starting early. This one I'm knitting on size 1.5s, because I've gotten smarter! And I've been working on the shawl, I've gotten pretty far! I'll show some progress soon.

FOs! FOs! A Shrug and Socks!

2010-09-22T20:07:00.003-05:00

So I finally finished my aunt's shrug, it only took me three months! The seaming and the edging took the longest, probably about a month or so because I just needed time to sit and work on it while looking at the directions.

I modeled it and I had my mom wear it. I think it's too wide in the back but I'm sure my aunt will like it. I'm planning on mailing it her soon (she lives in California and I actually just got a package from her with a nifty penguin ring, carders for raw wool that she also sent me).

I don't think it's supposed to meet in the front but it does on me and mom!

Pattern: 09 Shrug in the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk pattern book.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Silk about 6.5 skeins.
Needles: Size 4 needles.
This pattern is not well written. I do not understand for the life of me that big companies can write terribly explained patterns when great little designers can write up gorgeous patterns and not get published in a book. Oh well, this is probably what has created wonderful one-person pattern companies like Ysolda, Gudurn, etc. I like the outcome of the pattern but it was very hard to understand the instructions and there was alot of frogging!

Next FO!

Pattern: Made it up! 4st cable, p2, k2 p2.
Yarn: tofuties! I did not like it very much, it hurt my hands, about 60% of the skein.
Needles: Size 2.25mm circs.

After the modeling, I rinsed them and now they are drying, wait to be put in the drawer to christmas gifts!

New York City Visit - In Words....

2010-09-20T21:48:00.005-05:00

I promise, I went to New York City this weekend. I have no photographic evidence because I broke my camera card before transferring the files, and I no longer have a working card reader.

I went to visit one of my best friends, Molly, who now goes to the New School for writing. I spent way too much money on a movie that was possibly more exciting to find the theater than it was to see the movie. (Went up the wrong escalators, then it says level one for our theater, which actually meant the third floor)

We went shopping, at Union square in Filene's Basement and Nordstorm Rack (I would have been very inspired to buy more if I didn't already have to carry my sleeping bag and pillow in a bag on the train). They had some very nice Frye boots at Nordstorms, only a mere $200 still. Gulp.

We had planned on seeing Angels in America, a show which is nothing like the HBO Tv show, but it was sold out. We went to dinner, at a place called YaYa's Restaurant I think? It was good, Molly does not enjoy meat so they had some nice veggies for her, and some chicken with shittake sauce for me. And a salad with carrot salad dressing, which I must learn to make. Then we went to the aforementioned movie.

Saturday we went to bed kind of late because Molly's roommates are night owls. But, we woke up, had some breakfast, and went to Central Park, where I've never been! I had some nice pictures but they have disappeared. We rented bikes for an hour (very expensive) and rode around. The bike path has two lanes and exits off the road way! We also attempted to go to the bead store but somehow ended up on the wrong end of the street.

All in all, it was a lot of walking with a friend I haven't seen in far too long, and I'm really glad she's getting along well in the city. I did finish a pair of socks today, except for the grafting and then I have just a bit more of ribbing on my aunt's shrug! Almost done!

Apple Festival

2010-09-14T10:04:00.002-05:00

I went to a craft fair (was called the Apple Festival) this weekend, I shared the table with my former coworker turned friend. I didn't make the table fee back, but it was a good learning experience. I did sell a little drawstring bag.

As you can see we were outside, which Shaina thought would be good because she wasn't sure if it would rain or not, but I think we probably got less traffic inside, but who was to have known?

Shaina made those little hairclips but I'm hoping she'll putting them on etsy soon!

Of Laptops and Shawls

2010-09-11T15:35:00.002-05:00

Hi there! I finally got my new laptop! So far I'm not totally in love with windows 7 but mike pointed out that it's change, and I hate change initially. Also, I'm still trying to figure out how to make my email come to this computer without any pit stops first. Not too successful with that quite yet.

But of course, I've had the computer less than 24 hours and I've finished a little laptop sleeve for it!

Don't you love how the button pattern echos the fabric pattern?

It took me about half a yard of each fabric and about an hour, not including a quick trip to joanns to buy a new button, the one I had didn't match at all. This button was actually too big for the automatic buttonholer, but I had a great button-hole teacher back at the costume shop so I did it by myself, not the best button hole but it works.

And although I blogged about freaking out about christmas gifts, I didn't actually start any until a couple days ago.

This is a Brandywine shawl (LOVE the pattern, I want to make another for myself!) for my former coworker Shaina. The yarn is one from Rhinebeck, Steam Valley Fiber sock yarn that's on the thinner side but has a generous 485 yards in the skein! I made a couple of mistakes but I think we're good from here on out!

Work called me off and told me I didn't have to work tonight (going to get a whopping $32 check next week...) so I'm headed to hartford to visit some friends!

Jill's Totes!

2010-09-07T10:16:00.003-05:00

I made a couple totes for a friend and I just wanted to share them really quick before class!

This last one is reversible! I used fusible batting in them, and they stand up by themselves!

Laptops and Socks

2010-09-04T16:26:00.002-05:00

Oh hi there blog! I've been knitting a bit but mostly researching new laptops. I don't if I've previously mentioned this but I have a 17" HP laptop that I've had about 3 different issues with. It was very kindly gifted to me by my uncle before I graduated high school (about 2.5 years ago) and has served me very well, though when I had problems with it, they were doozies. (A broken hinge, a computer that turned into a blue-screened brick, a computer with pretty little green speckles on it) I had to fight about a year ago to get it fixed for free even though it wasn't under warranty. It runs a little hot now, and it has teeny tiny battery life but I'm still going to keep it around for watching netflix on and for my brother (now in high school) and sister to use.

I am getting a new 14" laptop, a Toshiba Satellite. I'll photograph it when I get it (I ordered it online).

But! I finished a sock!

I made up this pattern but I get the feeling that it's similar to the BFF pattern from Cookie A.

These are for my cousin for christmas, and while I like that little pattern I made up, I hate knitting with the yarn (Tofutsies). I think it's mostly cotton and it just hurts my hands, it really doesn't have any give. But I started the second!

A Quilt Top

2010-08-31T07:49:00.002-05:00

I had my first day of classes yesterday. I like most of them so far, but I have three once a week classes, so I still haven't had three of my normal classes yet. Today is supposed to be hot hot hot, and of course I have class in one of the non-air conditioned buildings.
I liked all the classes I had yesterday and today I have one class I probably won't like (it's a science gen ed required course). But that's only one course!

In other news, Max's quilt top is almost done. I have to put one of the two planned borders on, then measure it, because I have a feeling it's going to be very large. Or at least twin size when I didn't really expect it to be!

Now of course I need to start thinking about the quilting part. My mom is kind of freaking about me quilting any of it on her machine - or even my machine, her old one. She thinks it could break the machine. Any opinions? I think I'd need to go slow and be careful, and I'm hoping on the middle parts my nana can help me, but do I need to hand quilt it? I thought machine quilting was something that was fairly normal?

And since schools started, I'm up to knitting in class again. Except, my aunts shrug has taken one step forward and two back. I misread the directions (so easy for this pattern) and knit a whole section that was unnecessary and of course needed to be ripped. Oh well, I'm back on track now. I'm glad I went and reread the directions because I did have a sinking feeling that I was knitting the damn thing wrong but the first read though, I didn't see where I was going wrong! I'll take some pictures if I ever make any measurable progress!

FO: Steggie Sweater!

2010-08-29T11:25:00.002-05:00

Pattern: Steggie from Knitty.
Yarn: Woolease, bits of the blue and red, and then about 4 skeins of the green.
Needles: Size 7 and 8 Knitpicks interchangeables.
Mods: I screwed up some sleeve increases but I don't think it makes much of a difference!

It was obviously a fight getting this sweater on a two year old, even though it was much cooler this past week, and I'm hoping we're headed for fall. I babysit him at least once a week, and in the past three or so months, I've been seeing Max (my cousin, shown above!) two to four times a week. But two year olds rarely do what you want! He was mad in the pictures above,
a. because he didn't want that sweater on but he's two so I forced him into it
b. because his mom was in on it
c. because it was "HOT!", as he himself informed us
d. I think he didn't like how originally it covered his little hands and he couldn't use them to be fists to show us how mad he was.

(PS: In the last picture he's actually looking at his mom who I think was saying how cute it was, and you can see the obvious anger and hurt in his eyes)

The Details:
This is supposed to be his christmas sweater but I'm also making a quilt for him so this sweater is for his birthday, which was at the beginning of the month. I don't mind woolease, it's a relatively good yarn, especially for sweaters for two year olds. I love the pattern too, well written and has a bunch of sizes. I oddly enjoyed the colorwork. Go figure.

In other news, I went to the beach (Watch Hill in RI) yesterday and while I came home rather pink, I am no longer a lobster. I'll leave you with some pictures.

Yes, it was crowded. That's what happens when you go to the beach on the last weekend before school ends! It was a good day though!

Dressing Up

2010-08-27T07:43:00.002-05:00

So yesterday was my last day at Joann's. It's nice that I don't have to go back and work ever you know? I had orientation at DSW (the shore store) Wednesday, and I really like it. From what I don't like about joann's they are a huge improvement. DSW seems to be really striving to get to the top of the pile, and they want the best from their employees. And the discount on shoes isn't bad.

School starts this monday and this past week I've been sewing my "fun" sewing and I've finally finished this dress!

I'll try to get some full shots the first day of school! I fully lined it because really, this light weight fabric wasn't meant for this dress and would be entirely see through if I didn't. I'm really proud of myself because the lining isn't included in the pattern but I figured it out!

To be honest, the reason I choose this dress was because of the buttons. I love button holes. My mom's machine has an entirely auto button hole - you put the button on the button hole foot it even calculates how big it should be!

I haven't been really getting anywhere knitting wise, but I'll keep you updated. I need to get pictures of Max's jacket, hopefully today!

Sewing and Knitting for Me...and Other People

2010-08-23T17:18:00.002-05:00

Weeks keep flying by and I mean to blog but well, the days just disappear.

I have to confess something. I have not sewn for the shop in about three weeks. I have the fabric for it, but occasionally, knitting or sewing gets to the point where it's not fun, it's work. So, I'm going back to fun for a while, but I have tons of stock in the shop that I'd like to move out anyways. I'm planning on making more bags later, but right now I'm sewing what I want to sew.

Like this:

This is the middle of my cousin's quilt. I'm going to put a border of more "choochoos" and some polka dots squares, the same size as the inside squares. Then a yellow border and then a blue border. So it'll be another 17" around the squares you see here.

And, I finished his sweater. Here, I'm still sewing on the hem tape on the back side of the zipper, but it's pretty much finished. He still won't put it on. I'm hoping I can convince him before I stop babysitting this week!

He just turned two but he definitely will be able to wear this until at least 5 or 6, the sleeves are so long!

And what have I been doing besides not knitting? I went over my friend Shaina's Saturday night for a craft night! I taught Shaina how to knit, Mike did his Magic stuff, and Tom did some origami!

We had a dinner of yummy gnocchi, fruit salad and steak!

Very yummy!

I start school next week, I'm pretty excited. I'll try to blog more often than once a week!

Christmas Thinking Ahead

2010-08-17T07:35:00.003-05:00

So now that's it's getting closer to fall, I think most knitters are gearing up and stocking up. I knit gifts for christmas. I've always loved Christmas, and the main reason is really, truly the giving part of it. My grandmother, mom and aunt all know how to knit and all sew pretty often. I'm pretty happy to say, my family appreciates the knits I give them. However, there's only so many socks you can give one person. This isn't really a problem with my extended family, I give them one pair of knit socks or mittens or whatever a year. My parents, though, have alot of socks. My dad told me he has too many and gave them back! My brother and sister though luckily still have growing feet so I have two pair to make for them this winter.

So here's some new yarn I bought in preparation for socks this winter!

That's for my other twin cousin, the sister of the one I'm currently knitting socks for.

And for my uncle, their father:

Now to get knitting...

Life is Getting in the Way of Blogging.

2010-08-16T16:46:00.002-05:00

I've pretty much decided to leave Joanns, several things have led up to this and I've been offered a job at a shoe store, and GAP is calling tomorrow about a second interview. But we'll see.

But this has been hard, I hate indecision. Like I'm considering just taking the shoe store offer because I hate not knowing.

I've been knitting my cousin's sweater and I'm even farther on the hood then it shows here.

And a quilt for him! I'm just starting on a small one so then later I can work up to a big one!

Cupcakes!

2010-08-14T17:47:00.003-05:00

I've been really really busy. I've worked both my jobs (babysitting and joanns) and had two interviews for the Gap and DSW in the past 27 hours. Both went very well, and I'm surprised that they seemed to want me to work there - instead of me begging for an interview, they both called me!

And I had a cupcake party! A cupcake potluck to be specific!

They were all very yummy. And there's still leftovers! I made the white coconut ones!

Skirt

2010-08-09T07:32:00.002-05:00

So I visited my friend Mckayla and we went shopping. I didn't know we were selling things like this in the store:

She's a knitter too and we both wondered when it was alright for crocheted tank tops to be worn!

But the main reason I visited her was to give her her skirt I made for her.

She likes it! Yay!

Knitting!

2010-08-05T14:28:00.002-05:00

A quick update post. I've finished the back and started the front of my aunt's shrug. It's been a fun knit but I want to finish it!

I also finished the body of Steggie, and finished a sleeve.

And I started my cousin's Christmas socks. I'm going to do some type of cable pattern.

And that's it for now! I'm off to work!

Back in the Saddle.

2010-08-03T20:22:00.002-05:00

I'm back from vacation, and I drove back today. I'm very tired, but I still have some stuff to blog about.

First, after I dropped my cousin off at work, I went back to that coffee shop I mentioned - Mocha Rizing, which anyone in the Sandwich NH area should go to. Very good coffee.

Across the street, there's the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen - a shop filled with handmade pottery, glassware, jewelry, and knits!

I also loved this vase. Unfortuantely, it was very expensive - but so pretty!

It was a great little place, actually stuffed full. I loved this display of gorgeous bags. I almost bought belt, but none really fit (not any that I loved anyways)!

I've been knitting and I've started Steggie's sleeve!

Anyways, I'm at home now. I have some etsy plans. Sadly, I'm going to be able to sew alot less in the fall, so I'd like to stock up! I have tons of fabric to do so too! Next post I'll show how far I've gotten on Anne's sweater, I finished the back and started the sleeve/front.

Vacation Pt 2

2010-07-31T21:34:00.002-05:00

Ok I really want to go to bed, but if I don't blog now, I will forget. So, today we went on a drive, first to a little coffee shop in Sandwich which had yarn!

Peace Fleece as it were, and great coffee.

And a backroom of knit things, and other local artistry.

Then, we went to Keepsake Quilting and Patternworks.

I'm spoiled by WEBs - I was not impressed too much by Patternworks. Good yarn but not enough sock yarn. I bought this for my cousin's christmas present.

I also bought some beads and a bone pedant too, but no jump rings, so I'm waiting to put the pendant on til I get home.

More later...

Vacation!

2010-07-30T16:59:00.002-05:00

I'm on vacation. Thank god - I really need some time to just sit and do nothing - well to be precise, have nothing to do. I got up to Squam Lake at about 10:20pm last night after stopping by WEBs on the way, to get yarn for mom's sweater. I thought their Valley Yarn Northampton was on sale, but the sale ended wednesday. Oh well, it still was very cheap for a sweater. When I got here last night, I didn't see anything so I went around to acquaint myself, and of course to take pictures.

I'm staying in this house, which is about 20 feet from the dock you see above.

My cousins' other grandma, who I'm not related to but who has had a long relationship with my mom's family, including (obviously) my uncle marrying into the family, owns the house and my cousins are staying here for the summer. One of them is currently with her boyfriend in canada and the other is working a lot but honestly -I don't mind being mostly alone, it's nice! Especially after dealing with customers a lot at Joanns....

I haven't gone swimming yet, I'm thinking tomorrow. It's a little chilly here, and I only brought one sweater, no handknit sweaters! I brought a lot of socks with me though.

No, I don't normally wear socks with sandals in public, thanks for asking, but they do show off my nice purple socks nicely.

I drove my cousin to work this afternoon and then did a little belt/sweater shopping to no avail (I'm thinking if it gets much colder, I will just go to Walmart and pick up a Hanes sweater or something). I forgot a belt, and I only brought two pairs of pants. I think I brought my capris though, but I thought I was an overpacker! Not for this trip I guess...

I went to a LYS but didn't buy anything. There's a couple other LYSes around though!

After shopping, this is what I did for the afternoon - watched Buffy, and knit on the porch in the hammock-bed thing. I got pretty far on Max's Steggie.

Oh and that owl bag - I made it for ME! But I have more fabric - anyone interested? I'm in love with it. I have matching stickers.

A Bag

2010-07-28T07:51:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the silence - I really have been knitting but there's not much to show!

But I made a bag for my friend's graduation and a matching box bag!

And just to let you know, I'm going on vacation starting tomorrow until Tuesday, so though I may be blogging I won't be able to ship stuff on etsy til Wednesday next week.

Iced Coffee

2010-07-22T09:22:00.002-05:00

Update - Coffee concentrate = good!

Even though I forgot about the add 1/4 cup of water along with the concentrate, ice and milk, it still was really good!

Food Abounds and Knitting Sweaters

2010-07-20T19:39:00.002-05:00

I'm still having a SALE at my shop. 15% off my whole shop!

So, my parents are away for a bit - I'm in charge of the garden. The beans - they never end. Ever.

I've been trying to pick in the morning, but today I hadn't picked at all since sunday! I got a cucumber and tons of beans! There'll be tomatoes ripe soon too.

I've been doing a couple of interesting things recently. I guess the first isn't interesting - but I tend to eat the same things every day, and I recently realized this. I eat toast with butter for breakfast and I have for about six months. And before that it was a bagel with butter, and before that it was a bagel with peanut butter and jam. For lunch, I've eaten this almost everyday for probably about 3 or 4 months.

Yogurt (I used to eat flavored but those taste too sweet now) with strawberries or other similar berries (like blackberries here), and granola. It's so good. I haven't gotten bored with it yet!

I've also just made coffee concentrate. I don't know how it'll work out, but I will report on how well it does. I found alot of recipes for a whole pound of ground coffee online, but then I found one for just 4 ounces. Basically, you take a storage container of some kind, put in 4 ounces of coarse ground coffee, 1/2 cup of water, and stir. Then add 2 cups of water stir a little, then let sit for 12 hours. Then strain it until all the grains are out, and you can keep it for up to two weeks in the fridge. To make iced coffee (which is why I'm making it) you just add 1/4 cup of the concentrate to milk and ice!

I hope it works out. I'm still trying to find ways of drinking coffee with out upsetting my stomach too much!

I've been knitting alot too! I've started a Steggie for my little almost-2-year-old cousin.

Not very interesting but great knitting for when I babysit him!

And my aunt's shrug has gotten to the sleeves!

FO: Knotty Gloves!

2010-07-17T11:17:00.003-05:00

I love these gloves! Knitting them was fun, even though I had to lengthen all the fingers on one hand (after I had finished knitting each one!), and I loved the way they turned out!

Pattern: Knotty Gloves I love her patterns, I'm going to buy more ASAP.
Needles: size 2.25mm, I used a .25mm smaller than the pattern because I was afraid it would be too big, but they probably would have fit better. I think they're a smidge tight!
Yarn: Sheep Shop Sheep Feet 2, less than one skein, probably around 60% of it.
Mods: Made cuff before cables shorter, it seemed way to long originally!

Mike loves them too, and now it's just time to wait for winter. I can't wait until Rhinebeck, I'll be wearing knits as well as Mike - he'll have a sweater, gloves and probably a hat and socks too!

Tangling Silk and Gloves

2010-07-16T14:20:00.002-05:00

I haven't been doing much - it's been very hot recently and there is no end in sight! But I did manage to finish Mike's Gloves! I'll have a real FO post when they dry!

And I've been working on a shrug for my aunt, and it's coming along nicely until this happened.

Apparently Debbie Bliss Pure Silk is very tangly, and I can't get this mess untangled. I have like 5 more skeins to wind! But it still looks very nice, and is very soft.

Progress

2010-07-09T16:08:00.003-05:00

PSST - I'm still having a SALE! 15% off everything in the shop!
So this is my 500th post. It's pretty exciting but I don't have much more things that are exciting. I've been knitting but I feel like I haven't gotten anywhere.

I love this pattern. It's fantastic. It's Knotty, and I think I might make another pair for me. This pair is for mike!

In other news, I took inventory today! It was fun to remember all my fabrics I've worked with!

Fourth and a Sale for Etsy!

2010-07-05T20:03:00.004-05:00

I had a less eventful fourth of July than in the past - but it was more fun. We went to a friend's house, and we set off some fireworks in his backyard, and my friend Mollee and I fought our urge to run away from the fire while the men just sat there and watched.

We had a nice fire.

I told you they just sat there!

And, I've been updating the shop slowly but surely. I have about 40 items in stock now, and I'm planning on listing everything totally by tomorrow. I'm having a sale to clean out some stuff that's been hanging around! Everything (everything, including sale items) is 15% off! Just buy it, and I'll refund the 15%, not including shipping.

I've started making lined bags! They close when you pull the sides of the string and they are SO cute!

Check them out here!

PS Knitting? What knitting? I've been knitting my aunt's shawl, but I'm positive it's going to be too big, and then I have some gloves for mike...there's too much sewing and work to do to knit! I want to knit shawls again! And socks! I have to prepare for winter (she says when it's supposed to be 95 degrees tomorrow).

Quickly!

2010-07-02T07:36:00.002-05:00

I have been knitting on a shrug for my aunt - silk yarn!

And check out these new project bags!

Find them here!

FO: Sweater Vest for Me!

2010-06-27T10:48:00.003-05:00

Pattern: Bracken, only exceptionally longer (pattern is a "waistcoat" so I made it like 5" longer!)
Yarn: Sliver Moon Farms Superwash DK 8 ounce skein, with bits of another color, because I wouldn't have had enough yarn if I didn't make those stripes!
Needles: Size 6 Knitpicks interchangeables.
Mods: The stripes at the waist, in the edging, and the length. Oh and I didn't have the pattern when it came time for the button holes, so I made it up. But I think it's very close to the pattern.

I like it though I wish I had put in the length before the waist decreases, because the waist doesn't sit at my natural waist, but it fits really well.

I like this pattern alot. It's a great simple women's vest pattern, and I've used it twice now. I like how skinny the shoulder part is, and I like the way the v-neck and armhole shaping is. The shoulder part is a mere 4 sts wide, and it looks funny but once you do the ribbing it looks really nice. However, it's meant to be a "waistcoat" aka something that if I only knit the length in the pattern would be at my midriff because I have a freakishly long torso. So I added length both times I made it, and this is a good length I think. Though the waist doesn't hit me at the right place, I think this is a sucess, and I have put it away for the fall, but I have a couple t-shirts that would go nicely if there's a cool day before October!

Oh and this yarn from Sliver Moon Farms, I got it at Rhinebeck and it is awesome. Just great. I'm going to get more at Rhinebeck, hopefully for a sweater for my mom! (PS - Buffy is totally playing on my computer throughout the pictures!)

Bag for Dad, and Almost FO

2010-06-26T14:22:00.003-05:00

Several things have been done. I made my dad a bag for his disc golf, complete with beer pocket and everything!

I also bought some yarn at joann's yesterday - some for max's sweater.

I'm going to make Steggie for him for christmas. The larger Joann's I went to yesterday had solid color bamboo blend sock yarn!

I love it. And as a sneak peak, here's some not-quite-finished pictures of my sweatervest!

(held together with a yarn needle, oh and I made that necklace!)

I bought two sets of buttons, and I'm going to use the blue for the sweater.

The wood was just too pretty to pass up and I might buy another card when my store gets more in.

Anyways, I'll do a "real" FO post when it finishes blocking. I'm going to out to sushi tonight!

Currently In Progress

2010-06-23T07:17:00.002-05:00

So, now that I've been sewing so much for my shop, I haven't had a lot of time to knit. Kind of ironic, but I've been plugging away on a couple of projects. I've been knitting a sweatervest for myself, and last night I finished the back and one front. My ball of yarn is now only the size of my hand - I'm hoping it'll last through the second front and MAYBE through the bands - I have leftover yarn from audrey if not though!

I'm still working on that market bag; I've been working on it when my cousin (Max) is calm enough to play in one place. Which isn't very often!

I've been knitting some gloves for Mike too, I always worry about his cold hands, and I had made the cuffs as the pattern (Rav link to Knotty Gloves said, but they were much too long! I tried them on him yesterday and they were a little bit tight but it should be fine, I'll just have to watch about his fingers.

Oh and remember how I used to spin? I haven't done that in about 6 months, at least as much as I can remember. I'm still only on the second bobbin of sock yarn for mike, and I'm not really sure were the first bobbin went. I miss spinning, but I stopped because I don't really have anywhere to sit while spinning. I think I might try a kitchen chair but I find most chairs really hurt my back when I'm spinning. I must find a solution for this, so I can spin up mike's sock yarn and some of my fiber stash to make room for Rhinebeck!

And last but not least new box bags, this time made with fusible fleece!

New Fabrics - Finally!

2010-06-21T21:57:00.004-05:00

So I wanted to show you my new fabrics before I sewed them all up! Obviously, that skirt in my previous post was some of the fabric I bought - Amy Butler, and now I've been scouring etsy for some more fabric - though I should really visit my fabric stash first.

In other news:

Those are some of my new fabrics. I bought a 1/2 yard of each, so I plan on making a box bag and a matching drawstring bag (ehm, I feel a sale coming on just to let you know...)

This I love but sadly, as you can see in the close up, it's bled a little in the wash. Just enough for me to notice! So, I made a box out of it tonight but I'll probably end up offering it at discounted price.

I bought more Amy Butler Fabric, this time for bags.

And this I love, just made a gorgeous box bag out of it (will list it tomorrow, it has a red rose lining)!

Last but not least, my mom finished my ad, she wants to make another soon and I have a friend that's also making another!

That's all for now, I've been babysitting my less-than-2-year-old cousin which means more money, less free time - but he's super cute!

Amy Butler Skirt!

2010-06-19T11:50:00.002-05:00

So I was going to just do a post about the new fabrics I bought. Well, I started sewing one the other day, and now this:

Is this:

I happened to have a 7" zipper, and some white fabric, and now I have a skirt! I used about 1.5 yards, and made up my own pattern! I originally was going to use elastic, and when I did that it was bad. Then I realized what I was seeing in my head wasn't elastic, it was a zippered skirt. So I took apart the elastic top and put some pleats in it, planned out where the zipper would go (it had to be center back because I already had put pockets in it), and then figured out how the white waistband would fit in. (that was probably the most complicated part) I used some Amy Butler fabric I got at the fabric shop this week. I need to make more of these for sure!

This is center back of the skirt:

Then, this is how the top closes:

The people I worked for at the costume shop would be proud - you can't really see the metal!

And here's the pleats:

Fabric Stores

2010-06-17T12:53:00.003-05:00

Oh hi there! I haven't had any chance to take good pictures of the shawl, unfortunately, it was really rainy and over cast at my nana's party. I went to a great fabric store on tuesday with my aunt and nana, it was fantastic!

This was only one room, and one aisle, there were about 4 more! Needless to say, I have a lot of new fabric to play with!
I meant to take more pictures, but they had really cool zippers:

I made more box bags for the shop:

This one is a mere $12.50, because it's unlined and uninterfaced!

More about my new fabric and knitting related things later!

FO: Summer Shawl

2010-06-12T12:57:00.002-05:00

So, first of all, I got a new layout! I decided it was time for a change, and blogger has some cool tools to make it customized.

And, I finished something - a knitting something! I blocked it this morning and it was dry right after noon.

Pattern: Haruni
Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss Lace, 1.25ish skeins
Needles: Size 6
Mods: I added an extra repeat of chart A, and it's giant!
63" across the top, and 30 from the top middle to the bottom point!

Sorry for flash, I hate using it but it's the only one that gives you an idea of the size.

I love this shawl. It's huge but it's the first one I've made that I can drape around my shoulders. It's also the largest one I've made, and I could barely fit it one the board! I loved the pattern too, it's here on Ravelry! I'm going to work in a couple hours then tomorrow my nana is having a party, so I hope to get more photos there.

Bags and Bag Sketches

2010-06-08T09:04:00.002-05:00

So a couple major things are happening. I'm officially going to do an ad on ravelry, I sent the scans to my graphic designer (aka mommy!) and I asked if she could have it done by Friday, and hopefully there'll still be spots for the notebook ads open. So, here are the final sketches for the pen and ink drawing of my drawstring bags.

I think the one above would look good in the small notebook ad, I just want to make sure it gets across what I'm selling.

I like this one also:

But I don't know if it'll look good smaller.

And my logo with the penguin:

I love my penguins!

I have not finished anything knittingwise, but yesterday I spent most of the day finishing a custom order and sewing a new bag design for the shop.

Box bags! I only have one in the shop, but I need to buy some zippers to make more, it was SO fun to make. It bothers me that the lining seams are on the inside, but I zigzaged them to prevent fraying.

It was so hard not to keep it, but I listed it here on etsy!

Ads and Knitting

2010-06-05T13:20:00.002-05:00

I made a couple more project bags and listed them at the shop and I've been thinking about advertising.

Now, right now I have just a couple bag pictures and all you can see is the fabric, etc. Apparently, my mom (aka my graphic designer) had the same thought a couple days ago - pen and ink drawings of the bags would get across what I make in a simplistic manner and then the fabric wouldn't confuse the viewer. So I started drawing. I have a couple more ideas I need to figure out before I get there though.
I think this one has too many lines:

And I was told by a friend (a graphic design major) that these lines aren't curved enough:

I want to do one crosshatched and one much larger with curved lines and see what my mom thinks.

I've been knitting my shawl, (haruni shawl, a good simpleish pattern) and I've gotten pretty far - even though I had to basically rip a whole movie's worth of work because I didn't read the directions. I'm on the last like 16 rows, but I have like 800+ sts on the needles!

And, here's a picture of the project bag to entice you.

Busy, No Knitting But Chocolate!

2010-06-03T17:27:00.002-05:00

Hi there! I'm getting to be one of THOSE bloggers. The ones you see only once in a while. I'm sorry about that, and I'll try to make it change.

First, yesterday I guess it was, I was very busy. I met a friend at starbucks, then moved on to shoe shopping (I did get ONE pair, that was on sale), then this little bakery in plainville.

I got:

And my friend got:

Mine was filled with a light chocolate mousse and had like coconut sugar, and her's was a dulce de luche filled cannoli. This was a little after noon I believe and I could not finish it... but it was very good and their breakfast menu looks good, so I'll probably be going back.

My nana came back from a graduation round trip (three of her grandchildren were graduating from something or other), and brought this back with her, from my aunt. I guess it was a project that didn't work out.

I'm so excited. I can't decide if I should make a sweater or a shawl or both. I would want to make a short sleeved cardigan or maybe a tank top, with lace for summer. We'll see. I love the color too.

Last but not least, I got a really cool vinyl sticker for my laptop the other day in the mail!

I got it from Azure Rocket, and even though the mail people held it hostage, I eventually got it and LOVE it. I can't wait to bring my knitting is love proclaiming laptop to class. It's going to be awesome. Knitting will come tomorrow, I still don't have much progress to show, I'm kind of sick. I had to do an overnight for work from 9pm to 4am (which ended up being 6am and was another thing I did yesterday), and I was getting sick....and now I am. Oh well, we got to watch movies at work and get paid for trying to sleep. But now I'm more tired than I have been in a long time. I'll sleep well tonight!

Picking Up Where I Left Off

2010-05-29T10:15:00.002-05:00

Hi! Sorry about the radio silence. This was my first week of officially no school (I got some of my grades: two As and two Bs - even in the class I thought I might fail!), and I've been lazy. Well, I had three days off in the beginning of the week, so I didn't really do anything Monday, Tuesday I hung out with Mike, ate ice cream for lunch, went to the mall with Mollee and Mike (I didn't buy anything!), and out to dinner. Wednesday I went to the beach, and of course forgot my camera. Thursday I worked and went out bowling after, and yesterday I worked in the afternoon and went out to the Cheesecake Factory (expensive but so good and I have leftovers from lunch today).

I have to work the whole weekend until this Tuesday but I'm getting more hours, so I don't really care. Instead of 15, I'm getting about 25, which for summer isn't fantastic but I don't want to not be able to enjoy the summer either. I'm still looking for a second job, but without much luck.

Like always, I've been adding things to the shop: The Tilly Tote.

And a couple new sock bags.

I've been knitting too, just not as fast.

My Haruni shawl is coming along nicely, though I still have tons of yarn and I'm half done. So, I think I'll knit til I have a little more than a full skein of the yarn left then knit the border. This shawl will be huge.

I've also started knitting a market bag of my own design.

That's the bottom of it, and I haven't gotten very far in the stripes part but here's close up.

And now you're caught up. I have a few more hours before work so I think I'll go knit now!

Bags, Graduations and Cats

2010-05-24T15:29:00.002-05:00

So this weekend I went to two college graduation parties. One was for a girl I went to high school with who I haven't seen in a while, and the other was for my best friend! The girl I hadn't seen in a while I knew I should bring something with me to give to her - not that she'd think I should, just that I knew she'd appreciate it if I made something.

So I made her a little makeup bag.

I have like a yard and half of that fabric, and honestly I've been hoarding it. I love it. I never want it to leave, but it's such a small little bag. The zipper I had was only 7"!

My favorite part:

I remembered after that I had that ribbon, but still I thought it made a nice little pull.

Next up was a purse for me - I wanted to get more practice with the magnetic snaps, and try out a purse idea. I'm not sure I like the square bottom, I think I'll make the next one rounded, but I get to keep the prototype.

It's big enough for my wallet, etc and a knitting project. I wanted a smaller purse not like the giant ones I normally carry.

So, should I stick with the square bottom or go rounded? Opinions? (this will probably be a new purse type soon, I have to figure out how much fabric it takes me, etc)

And then I made another "Sandra Tote".

I'm planning on making a smaller version of the totes and calling it the "Tilly Tote" (hopefully reversible too!).

And since my best friend didn't walk (along with another of our friends) we did a mock graduation. It was really funny.

And I'll leave you with a picture of my cat napping in the dryer...

Etsy Shop Bags!

2010-05-22T11:36:00.002-05:00

So my etsy shop is still going pretty strong, and now that I'm finally done with school, I'm going to pay more attention to it!

I've decided first to expand my "product" line, like I showed you with the totes. So I'll have two official types of bags, the totes and the project bags. The wristlets and the makeup bags didn't really sell so I don't plan on making anymore of those. Next on the "new" product list is box bags, which I have to figure out how to make.

Then I decided it'd be cute to "name" each type of bag. So, I introduce Sandra: the Tote/Beach Bag.

(I actually put this picture up on facebook and it sold through there! I plan on at least a couple more this week)

And the knitting project bags are now "Layla" bags.

Oh you want knitting content too? Well, my sweatervest is a little past the waist, and I had to add a stripe of a different color in so I hope I won't run out of yarn now!

Beach Bags and Sweater Vests

2010-05-18T11:22:00.002-05:00

I made a couple purses again last night. I've decided to start making tote bags for my etsy shop, and I made one last night, and I'm very happy with it. Now, I have to stop buying the fabric and actually make the bags, right?

It's really big and I made it with the beach in mind. I even made mike wait for me to get my sunglasses so I could pretend I was going to the beach while it rained in the background!

I also made a purse for my friend Shaina, who asked if she could commission one, but her birthday is this week, so another friend bought the fabric and I made the purse for her birthday!

It was my first foray into magnetic snaps, and I really like them in my purses so I put on in her's! I plan to make similar purses for the shop soon!

In knitting news, now that I finished that pair of socks for mike, I have one goal this summer: downsize the stash. I started with that sweatervest I got the yarn for at rhinebeck last year!

It's not much now, but I've been flying on it when I have been knitting on it. I'm making it longer than the original pattern and I hope I have enough yarn. If not, I have some extras of a different color.

I really want to go to Rhinebeck this year, and a couple weeks ago I called up my knitting friend and had a talk. I told her if we stopped buying yarn and saved up our money and just knit from the stashes, we were allowed to go to rhinebeck. I told her all I could forsee myself "needing" this summer is some yarn for a sweater for my little cousin and a sweater for my mom. But I don't need it. I have enough yarn for about 8 pairs of socks. I think I can keep busy this summer, don't you?

FO: Plain Man Socks

2010-05-14T20:17:00.002-05:00

I finished some nice and simple socks and I just started that sweater vest I mentioned a little while ago. I bought some fabric for a couple tote bags for the shop - beach-type bags.

Pattern: Just simple toe up short row heel socks.
Yarn: ONline Supersocke 100
Needles: Size 2.25mm

I have three take home finals to do, and I'm totally avoiding them. I'm planning on starting them tomorrow and sunday. Two are due monday! Wish me luck!

Two Bags!

2010-05-10T22:21:00.003-05:00

I made a couple purses tonight. I'm out of interfacing (at least both kinds I normally use) so they're both kind of floppy, but I don't think the recipients will care.

That one is for my friend mollee, and if you knew her you would think it's perfect, because the fabric just screams her name! I know she'll love it.

This one is for mike's mom, who has asked for purse since I started making them, so I made this one - more of a tote, and I think it'd be perfect for the beach, since it's so floppy.

I also started a new shawl:

It's not very interesting - Yet!

FO: Electric Red "Sam" Socks

2010-05-09T13:41:00.002-05:00

Pattern: Sam from Sock innovation - my name sake socks! (only they were for her father Samuel and I'm Samantha but that's just inconsequential)
Yarn: Wellington from The Thylacine
Needles: Size 2.25mm DPNS
Mods: I didn't read the directions after the gusset decreases and did my own toe, but followed it to a T otherwise!

They are a gorgeous red, very lovely and I can't wait til it's winter to wear them consistently! The cabling was hard at first but I got a handle on it. They definitely weren't a class knitting sock until the foot. It was just the right amount of patterning I think!

Ends of School

2010-05-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

So, I'm almost done with school, this is my last full week. Mike's A Capella concert is tomorrow night and I'm going on my last sushi "date" with him and a couple of our friends tomorrow. It's been a good semester, and one of my friends pointed something interesting about the spring semester - it's cold as we start, but then it gets warmer, and it does the opposite for the fall...Spring semester makes me feel more hopeful. I'll end classes officially may 12th, and my last exam is may 21st.

Also, I've done some strange things in the past week. I quit coffee. I think I'm going to start up again on thursday, with some suggestions as to how to make/have the coffee that I got on Ravelry. It gives me a stomach ache which I now think has nothing to do with the coffee. Sometimes bodies are hard to figure out. I fell down the stairs yesterday too! I have a lovely welt on my thigh but I'm otherwise alright. I have done it before, in the winter with socks on, but this was our outside stair, and I was wearing flipflops and it had been raining. But I'm fine!

This week I'm working a total of 13 hours (nothing compared to my usual schedule) so I hope to get a lot of knitting done. Now that mike's sweater is done, I'm looking forward to finishing the two pairs of socks I have OTN, and maybe starting a shawl. I also have the yarn for a sweatervest that I got at Rhinebeck and it'd be nice to have it done by fall. In theory.

Anyways, I did do a medium sized shop update yesterday, 5 new bags, with 4 new patterns. PS I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but I normally buy 15" of material and get two bags out of it. So if one you liked is gone, I either have more of the fabric or can get more. Just ask!

He's a Blurry Guy: A Sweater FO

2010-05-02T22:09:00.003-05:00

Well, this is late and going to be short - but after nearly 6 months, I finished Mike's Sweater!

Pattern: Retrofit from knitty, in one instead of two colors!
Yarn: Northampton from webs, in Pine, I think 6 skeins. (only used a bit of the 6th)
Needles: Size six and eight circs
Mods:I knit the sleeves in the round, and I totally did the back raglan decreases wrong but it worked. I also knit a size down so I could use a larger gauge to get the right size. It worked!

(yes I know these are blurry, but he's a fast moving guy, I couldn't get him to sit still. We've had some really hot weather so I didn't want to make him wear it any longer!)

Fabric Stash>Yarn Stash

2010-04-30T19:05:00.003-05:00

By the way: This is the last day of my BOGO get one 25% off sale! Click over on the side to see my etsy!

I think the fabric stash is overtaking my yarn stash. At joann's, we get a double discount about every month and we normally make a trip to a larger store and well, stash enhance. I try to only buy what's on sale, so I get an extra 30% off of the sale! I bought a bunch of fabric today, most of it with plans, and I have about 4 new bag fabrics waiting for sewing! I bought some for two bags for mike's mom and my friend Mollee.

I washed almost of them after I got home!

My almost full drawers!

I also bought an iron - for $4. It was on clearance and we still get the 30% off of clearance! It's a pretty good iron, I used it to iron some of my new fabric!

I bought a pin cushion but I really don't need it, because I made one too, but it's just so cute...

Oh yeah, this is a knitting blog right? Well here's some knitting.

A collarless, zipperless otherwise finished sweater!

Look at it!

2010-04-27T11:46:00.001-05:00

I've started a second sock for both the previous socks I showed, but, I have to show you this.

That is ALLL Mike's sweater pieces blocking on the floor. I have to sew them up, and knit the collar. Sew in the zipper and it's done! It will have only taken me six months :)